Former F1 title winner Mika Hakkinen is to test the new Mercedes C-Coupe
DTM car during testing at the Monteblanco circuit in Spain this week.
Hakkinen, who made a return to racing last month driving a Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 in the Zhuhai Six Hours, will join Gary Paffett, Jamie Green and Christian Vietoris in testing the new car, with the Finn eager to see how it compares to the model it replaces.
“When I first read the new
DTM regulations for 2012, I was determined to see for myself the difference between the old
DTM AMG Mercedes C-Class and the new
DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé,” he said. “I am very grateful to Norbert Haug and Gerhard Ungar of HWA for allowing me to take the new
DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé for this test drive.
“It is always a great pleasure for me to have the opportunity to drive a new Mercedes.”
Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug said he was thrilled to give Hakkinen the chance to sample the new car.
“Mika has been a Mercedes man through and through ever since 1995; he claimed two
Formula One world championship titles with McLaren before going on to an illustrious
DTM career with Mercedes-Benz,” he said. “This test was an idea that appealed to both Mika and ourselves. No further inferences should be drawn from it.”
